Yachi Onsen Spa

It’s a very quiet spot, with the stream and insects to listen to. At night, though, people driving crazy fast in stupid cars near the hotel made an annoying racket. The facilities are old, but clean and well maintained. There are two baths, one lukewarm and one hot, with soft sulfide hot spring water. The food is great, and there’s a good selection of local sake at dinner.

We ended up here on a recommendation, almost by chance. The onsen has a rustic, authentic feel, and the bathing area was beautiful and well cared for. The woman who helped us was very friendly and understood and spoke a few words of English. I was alone at the start of my stay and managed to take a snapshot of the empty bathing area. We had a wonderful, quiet stay.

From the outside, the ryokan looks like a row of black sheds, but inside it’s really nice. Our room was spacious, and the baths were great. Taking an onsen here felt like being at the top of the world. Recommended! At night, keep an eye out for Japanese martens. They were everywhere, and lots of photographers came specifically to capture one.

A typical Japanese Onsen, all in wood. One bath is only 38 degrees, so you can stay in for a long time. Nice.